Pilot dies in Bromont glider crash

The pilot of a glider plane that crashed in Bromont, Que. Saturday afternoon has died.

He has been identified as Jacques Fontaine, 60, from the Bromont area.

The crash happened at around 4:30 p.m. ET at the Roland-Desourdy airport in Bromont, roughly 85 km east of Montreal.

According to Pierre Gavillet, an investigator with  the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), Fontaine was in the last phase of landing when the crash occurred.

Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau with the Sûreté du Québec, confirmed the pilot was the only occupant on board.

He was rushed to hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Fontaine was an experienced pilot and is being remembered as a pioneer in the field of “free flying.”

Gavillet said the type of plane involved in the crash was a German-made Schleicher ASG 29 glider.

“It’s a high-performance glider,” Gavillet said. “It’s used for racing and it’s a highly popular model.”

According to Gavillet, preliminary information gathered on site indicate that Fontaine was coming back from a four-hour flight.

Gavillet said electronic devices on the plane will allow investigators to gather information on the plane’s trajectory.

TSB personnel were dispatched to Bromont Saturday. Their investigation continues.